Media hub device and cache

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure describes techniques related to media caching. A media hub device may include a media hub device configured to execute an operation on a current frame of media having a frame period. The media hub device may include a cache configured to provide, to a media accelerator of the media hub device, data associated with the frame period of the current frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to processing techniques of media.More specifically, the disclosure describes processing of media andmedia accelerators.

BACKGROUND

Media playback and capture are critical use cases impacting userexperience and battery life of computing devices including mobiledevices such as smartphones, tablets, multifunctional two-in-onecomputing devices, laptops, and the like. In some cases, systems havemultiple media hardware accelerators accessing memory such as dynamicaccess memory (DRAM). Bandwidth needs increase significantly as mediabecomes increasingly data heavy in both content and display resolution.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The following detailed description may be better understood byreferencing the accompanying drawings, which contain specific examplesof numerous objects and features of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example computing systemhaving a media hub;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing system andvideo playback using the media hub;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing system andvideo record using the media hub;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating media processing windows within videoframe in accordance with aspects described herein;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing systemwherein components of the computing system are in an inactive stateduring media hub video record operation; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a method for providing data to amedia accelerator from a local media hub cache.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, computing systems may have multiple media hardwareaccelerators accessing memory such as dynamic access memory (DRAM).However, in some cases, media accelerators are not effectively connectedtogether to achieve DRAM bandwidth reduction and power management acrossthe SOC. In these cases, it may be challenging to design systems tosupport higher memory bandwidth, as well as effective power management,resulting in increased platform cost, as well as power, and thermalstress.

The techniques described herein include a media hub having a local cacheto reduce bandwidth consumption related to media processing when fetchedfrom a memory component servicing additional components of a computingsystem such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processingunit (GPU), and the like. In the present disclosure media acceleratorsmay be integrated into a media hub sub-system. As discussed in moredetail below, a system having one or more media accelerators integratedinto a media hub sub-system with a local cache memory supportinginter-media accelerator communication may reduce bandwidth and powerconsumption related DRAM accesses. In addition to inter-mediaaccelerator communication, the media hub sub-system may image data, suchas stripe caching one or more reference frames for video encoding, videodecoding, and the like. Stripe caching may also be performed at themedia hub sub-system for previously processed frames for video postprocessing. The media hub sub-system may be referred to herein as amedia hub or a media hub device interchangeably.

A media accelerator, as referred to herein, may include a processingunit having a function related to media processing. A media acceleratormay include logic, at least partially including hardware logic, such aselectronic circuitry. In some cases, a media accelerator may beimplemented as hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.In general, a media accelerator may be functional logic outside of a CPUor GPU. A media accelerator may be a fixed function accelerator areconfigurable accelerator, or any combination thereof. For example, amedia accelerator may include an encoder configured to encode media datacaptured for playback.

As discussed in more detail below, a media hub having local memory cachemay enable functions of one or more other components of a computingsystem to be reduced, thereby reducing overall power consumption duringmedia processing performed at the media hub. For example, while someknown solutions may keep most of a system on chip (SOC) design and DRAMin an active state for media workloads (video playback, capture, and thelike), the techniques described herein includes media acceleratorsintegrated in a media hub with support for communication between mediaaccelerators that are part of the media hub. In some case, the supportfor communication is provided through a media hub cache in addition tosupport for stripe caching reference frames and previously processedframes for video codecs and video preprocessors, post processors, or anycombination thereof.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example computing systemhaving a media hub. The example computing system 100 may include acomputing device 101 may include a processor 102, and a memory device106, a graphics processing unit (GPU) 108.

The memory device 106 may be a random access memory (RAM) deviceconfigured to provide data to a plurality of components of the computingdevice 100. The memory device 106 can include random access memory (RAM)(e.g., static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory(DRAM), zero capacitor RAM, Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon SONOS,embedded DRAM, extended data out RAM, double data rate (DDR) RAM,resistive random access memory (RRAM), parameter random access memory(PRAM), etc.), flash memory, or any other suitable memory systems.

In some cases, the processor 102 is a CPU. The memory device 106 may beaccessed by the GPU 108, the CPU 102, the storage device 104, as well asother components discussed in more detail below. In some cases, a memorycontroller 110 may interface between memory access requests to thememory component 106. In some cases, the memory controller 110 may be anintegrated component of the memory device 106.

An arbitrator 112 may be any combination of hardware or softwareconfigured to arbitrate access to media including media access requestsfrom various components including the CPU 102 and the GPU 108. A fabric114 may be configured to communicatively couple a media hub device 116to the memory device 106 via the arbitrator 112. Other components mayinclude a fabric 118 configured to couple an audio hub 120 and othersensors of a sensor hub 112 to the fabric 114. The audio hub 120 may beconfigured to capture record and render audio associated with image datasuch as video. As discussed in more detail below, the fabric 118 may beused in an active state along with the media hub 116 in somecircumstances while other components of the computing device 101 are inan inactive or less active state, thereby reducing power consumption. Asecondary fabric 124 may couple the fabric 114 to components including asecure digital input/output (SDIO) device 116, various wirelesscommunication devices and interfaces including Long-Term Evolution (LTE)128, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) 130, and the like.

As discussed above, the media hub 116 may include one or more mediaaccelerators including an image signal processor (ISP) 132, a codec orencoder/decoder 134, a video pre and post processor 136, an encoder 138,a microcontroller 140, and a display engine 142. The illustration ofmedia accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 in the media hub 116is provided for example purposes only. Any combination of the one ormore media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142, as well asother media accelerators may be included in the media hub 116.

The ISP 132 may be configured to receive image data during image captureindicated at 148. The encoder/decoder 134 may be configured to encodevideo data received from the ISP 132 during video record. Theencoder/decoder 134 may also be configured to decode video data receivedfrom storage, such as the SDIO 126 during video playback. The video preand post processor 136 may be configured to perform operations such asimage enhancement, image scaling for format conversion, and the like.The low latency (LL) encoder 138 may be used in video playback, and insome cases for low latency wireless display encoding over wirelessdisplay. The microcontroller 140 may be a controller for the media hub116 configured to perform audio pre and post processing, encoding anddecoding, and the like, and may be platform dependent. The displayengine 142 may be configured to perform operations related to imagedisplay such as setting frames for image display depending on a givendisplay and the displays configurations and specifications, as indicatedat 150. For example, the display engine 142 may be communicativelycoupled to an internal display of the computing device 101, an externaldisplay communicatively coupled to the computing device 101, or anycombination thereof.

In the embodiments described herein, one or more of the mediaaccelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 may be integrated withinthe media hub 116 enabling inter-communication between mediaaccelerators without necessarily initiating operations of othercomponents such as the GPU 108, the CPU 102, and the like. In somecases, one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140,and 142 are directly connected to each other. In some cases, one or moreof the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 are coupledvia a compression component (not shown) to a cache 144 of the media hub116.

In some cases, one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138,140, and 142 are communicatively coupled via a cache 144, and, in somecases, via a media hub fabric 146. The cache 144 may be considered asecond level cache (L2). A first level cache (L1) (not shown) may beintegrated with each of one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134,136, 138, 140, and 142. The cache 144 may be referred to herein as aMedia Hub L2 cache (ML2) 144. The ML2 cache 144 may be local to themedia hub 116. As discussed in more detail below, the ML2 cache 144 mayenable at least some image processing operations associated with the oneor more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 to beperformed without access to the memory device 106. Integrating the ML2cache 144 within the media hub 116 may enable a reduction of bandwidthconsumption that may otherwise occur by memory accesses by one or moreof the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142.

In some cases, data stored in the ML2 cache 144 may include data relatedto a current frame for a given image. In the case of video, or aplurality of images combined in a video playback or capture, the ML2cache may be configured to store data associated with a current frame ofmedia having a frame period. The ML2 cache 144 may be configured toprovide to one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138,140, and 142 data associated with the frame period of the current frame.Further, in some cases discussed in more detail below, other components,such as the GPU 108, the CPU 102, and the like, may enter a less activestate during the media hub 116 operations resulting in relatively lowerpower consumption.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing system andvideo playback using the media hub. One process that may be performed bythe computing device 101 of FIG. 1 may include video play backoperations, generally indicated at 200. In video play back, componentsof the media hub 116 including one or more of the media accelerators134, 136, 140, and 142 of FIG. 1 may perform operations by referencingthe ML2 cache 144. Referencing the memory device 106 may be relativelylimited in comparison to operations wherein media accelerators accessthe memory device 106 without the ML2 cache 133, resulting in reducedbandwidth consumption.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the encoder/decoder 134 may reference framesin the memory device 106, and data may be provided between theencoder/decoder 134 and the video pre and post processor 136 asindicated at 202 via the ML2 cache 144. Once decoded and post processedfor display, the video pre and post processor 136 may provide the imagedata to the display engine 142, as illustrated at 204, for formattingbased on a given display (not shown). In other words, instead ofdirectly fetching image data from the memory device 106, the media hub116 may provide image data via the ML2 cache 144 and the media fabric146 to various components during video playback during some operations,thereby reducing bandwidth consumption between any given mediaaccelerator, such as media accelerators 134, 136, 140, and 142, and thememory device 106.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing system andvideo record using the media hub. One process that may be performed atthe computing device 101 may include video record operations, generallyindicated by 300 in FIG. 3. In video record, components of the media hub116 including one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138,140, and 142 of FIG. 1 may perform operations by referencing the ML2cache 144. Referencing the memory device 106 may be relatively limitedin comparison to operations wherein media accelerators access the memorydevice 106 without the ML2 cache 144. The more limited referencing tothe memory device 106 may result in reduced bandwidth consumption.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the ISP 132 may receive video record data froman input/output (I/O) device or interface (not shown). In some cases,the I/O interface may be a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI)interface configured to provide image data from image capture devicessuch as camera or other imaging sensor associated with the computingdevice 300. Video encoding can be performed at the encoder/decoder 134.Rather than routed through the fabric 114, the arbitrator 112, thecontroller 110, the memory device 106, image data may be provided to theencoder/decoder 134 either directly or by reference to the ML2 cache 144as it is provide from the ISP 132. In some cases, reference framesassociated with encoding at the encoder/decoder 134 may be fetched fromthe memory device 106. However, in some cases, a current frame or asubsequent frame, and associated data, may be fetched by theencoder/decoder 134 from the ML2 cache 144, as indicated at 302. Ineither case, the techniques provided herein include a reduction offetching data, such as reference frames in a video record flow 300, froma memory unit, such as the memory device 106.

As image data is captured and received at the ISP 132, some image datamay be provided to the memory device 106. However, in some cases, a pathfrom the ISP 132 to the display engine 142 may be used to provide imagedata to the display engine 142, as indicated at 304, without referenceto the memory device 106. In this way, bandwidth consumption associatedwith references to the memory device 106 may be reduced.

Further, image date may be provided to the ISP 132 from an I/O of animaging device (not shown) as discussed above. In this scenario, it maybe useful to isolate buffering of the incoming image data from othermedia accelerators such as one or more of the media accelerators 134,136, 138, 140, and 142. Therefore, the ML2 cache 144 may function as abuffer for incoming image data, and as a layer of separation between theISP 132 and one or more other media accelerators 134, 136, 138, 140, and142 that may be operating at a different frequency that the ISP 132.Similar to separation of the ISP 132 streaming through the ML2 cache 144from other media accelerators, the display engine 142 may also interactwith I/O devices, I/O interfaces, and the like, and may becommunicatively coupled to one or more of the media accelerators 132,134, 136, 138, and 140 via the ML2 cache 144. In other words, mediaaccelerators communicatively coupled to receive from I/O devices and/oroutput to I/O devices, such as the ISP 132, the display engine 142, andthe like, may be communicatively separated by the ML2 cache rather thanbeing more directly communicatively coupled for image data streamingemployed between other media accelerators such as one or more of themedia accelerators 134, 136, 138, and 140.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating media processing windows within videoframe in accordance with aspects described herein. As discussed above inregard to FIG. 1, a first level cache (L1) may be integrated with eachof one or more of the media accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138 as indicatedby the search window 402. The first level cache 402 may reference asearch region or stripe associated with a current frame associated withthe ML2 cache 144, as indicated at 404. As the search window 402proceeds across the region 404 of the ML2 cache 144, references to thememory unit 106 may be fetched as the region 404 moves through a givenvideo frame, as indicated at 406.

In FIG. 4, using the ML2 cache 144 traffic to the memory unit 106 may bereduce, wherein a reference pixel fetch may decrease to 1.2×-1.3× ofbase frames compared to 2×-5× without reference to a cache local to amedia hub, such as the ML2 cache 144. In other words, a 2×-5× referencepixels read per pixel output may be reduced with ML2 cache 144referencing 1.2× to 1.3× reference pixel reads per pixel output. Forexample, Table 1 illustrates a reduction in pixel reads per pixel outputfor a number of synthetic sequences.

TABLE 1 List 0 previous reference reference reference pixels readspixels reads frame per pixel per pixel cached in output output withSequence ML2 (%) without ML2 ML2 Tears_of_steel_800p_30fps_9Mbps_200f83.40 2 to 5 1.2 Tennis (lots of occluding regions) 66.76 2 to 5 1.3FinalMaster4k_MSDKTU1_qp10 74.21 2 to 5 1.3 TILES_B_Cisco_1 65.07 2 to 51.3 Synthetic sequence 40 2 to 5 1.6

Bandwidth savings may occur as a result of reduced access to the memoryunit 106. Table 2 illustrates estimations of bandwidth savings for mediaworkloads.

TABLE 2 DDR BW (MB/s) Post w/ Media- DDR BW Content ResolutionProcessing Current Hub Reduction (%) Video Playback 1080p30 N 1130 50356% 1080p30 Y 1679 739 56% 1080p60 N 1397 558 60% 1080p60 Y 2494 114854% 4K30 N 2060 1445 30% 4K30 Y 4253 2627 38% 4K60 N 3118 1898 39% 4K60Y 7505 3080 59% 8K30 N 7052 4871 31% 8K30 Y 18568 11580 38% Video Record4K60 N 4546 3123 31% 4K60 Y 8934 5012 44% Video Playback w/ Widi (Extdisplay) 4K60 Y 11074 4777 57%

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the example computing systemwherein components of the computing system are in an inactive stateduring media hub video record operation. As mentioned above, thetechniques described herein may reduce power consumption by introducinga power state unique to operations of a media hub having a local cache,such as the media hub 116 having the ML2 cache 144 of FIG. 1.

For example, in FIG. 5, during operations of video record discussedabove in regard to FIG. 4, the media hub may remain active, while othercomponents of a computing system may enter a less active state,generally indicated at 500. In FIG. 5, less active components areindicated by shading. For example, during video record, if there is nofetching occurring between the media hub 116 and the memory device 106,the memory device 106, as well as the controller 110 may enter a lessactive state, as indicated by the shading of memory device 106 and thecontroller 110. Other components, such as the CPU 102, the GPU 108, thearbitrator 112, the fabric 114, audio hub 120, the sensor hub 122, thesecondary fabric 124, the SDIO 126, the LTE module 128, and the like,may enter a less active state than the media hub 116. Further, in somecases, one or more components of the media hub 116 may also enter a lessactive state.

The presence of ML2 cache 144 and use of streaming between one or moremedia accelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 may decrease thedata transfers between the fabric 114 and the one or more mediaaccelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142, enabling increasedinactivity for rest of the computing system 101. Thereby, an increasedswitching to a low power state (clock gated for rest of the computingsystem 101, fabric 114, controller 110 and a deep self-refresh state forthe memory device 106. As discussed in more detail below, this lowerpower state for the computing system 101 may be referred to herein as“S0iM.” Although inactive states illustrated in FIG. 5 are indicatedduring a video record flow similar to the video record operations 300 ofFIG. 3, inactive states may accordingly be initiated during other imageprocessing operations, such as the video playback operations 200 of FIG.2.

In some cases, the computing system 101 can switch between followingthree states: “S0,” “Memory Transfer,” and “S0iM.” In the “S0” state,the computing system 101 including the media hub 116 may be in an activestate. In the “Memory Transfer” state, when data is transferring betweenthe memory device 106 and the ML2 cache 144, components such as the CPU102 may be in an inactive, “C6,” state, while other components such asthe media hub 116, the fabric 114, the controller 110, the memory device106, are in an active state. In the “S0iM” state, the Media Hub 116 maybe active while other components, such as the CPU 102, fabric 114,controller 110, the memory 106, are inactive. The S0iM state may be onestate of an “S0ix” discussed in more detail below.

In some computing system designs, S0ix entry and exit may be heavilydependent on operating system (OS) drivers implementing correctautonomous power management, and allowing finer granularity powertransitions to be implemented by underlying power management microcontrollers. In the techniques described herein, when drivers are in alow power state (D0i3), the computing system 101 can enter a deepestpossible power state (S0i3). “S0ix” as referred to herein may be a termfor low power states for a given platform of SoC in idle. “S0” denotesthat the platform is still active, and responsive to userinput/activity, and the “x” refers to multiple possible states (S0i1,S0i3, etc.), each with lower power consumption than S0 andcorrespondingly higher latency to enter and exit each state. In general,S0ix states are achieved when CPU cores, such as cores of the 102 ofFIG. 1, are idle and/or in low power state, devices are idle, and OSdevice drivers have autonomously guided respective hardware into lowpower state for devices and components associated with a given platform(termed D0i3). In the D0i3, other components such as peripherals, buses,fabrics (such as the fabric 1140), clocks, memory (such as the memory106), and the like, are also in respective low power states. In such astate, devices can still receive external interrupts (incoming voicecall for example, or user activity), and can resume into fully active(S0) state within a few milliseconds. Resuming S0 may occur, in somecases, with no user perceived latency. Hence S0ix entry/exit may requireOS guidance, efficient idle window prediction, device driverinvolvement, and firmware/hardware assistance. Since S0ix states aretypically transparent to the rest of the OS and applications, driversand firmware may coordinate the low power state transitions correctly.

Specifically, low power audio and low power sensing modes (S0ix-audio,S0ix-PSH) may be implemented by allowing the respective components to be“ON,” such as audio hub 120, the sensor hub 122, and the like of FIG. 1,while other components of the computing system 101 is in “OFF” or otherlower power state. In the techniques described herein, a state, namelySOW, may establish a finer coordination between one or more of the mediaaccelerators 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142, associated driver, andunderlying power management controllers (not shown).

For example, a sequence of events to implement the above mentioned lowpower states may include entering “Memory Transfer” wherein the CPU isin C6, while the media-hub 116, the fabric 114, the controller 110, andthe memory device 106 are active. This is the state where data istransferred between the memory device 106 and the ML2 cache 144. Here,the corresponding media accelerators ISP 132 and display engine 142, aswell as other media accelerators, may be in an active “D0” state tocoordinate the data transfer to and from memory device 106 and the ML2cache 144.

During the “S0iM” state, in some cases only the media hub 116 is activewhile other components i.e. CPU 102, the fabric 112, the controller 110,and the memory unit 106, are inactive. Here, device drivers for the GPU108, and the audio hub 120, sensor hub 122, Wifi 130, LTE 128, SDIO 126,and the like may coordinate to ensure they are all in a D0i3 or idlestate.

The S0iM state may be hinted either via an infrastructure driverassociated with the CPU 102, or by providing special logic and/ormessages between media driver(s), power management unit or software, andpower management firmware, and the like to ensure that when driversassociated with components outside of the media hub 116 are in “D0i3,”or low power state, and the media hub 116 is still active, the computingsystem 101 can enter the “S0iM” state with only the media hub kept ON.Other implementation of the coordination between drivers may be OSspecific. Similar techniques can be employed for various use-cases e.g.video record, video conferencing, wireless display by configuringMedia-Hub policies and cache (ML2) sizes appropriately.

Based on the techniques described above, residence in each of the statesdescribed above may be illustrated by Table 3.

TABLE 3 w/ Media-Hub Baseline Memory Content Display S0 S0 Transfer S0iM1080p30 1080p60 100% 15% 5% 80% 4K60 1080p60 100% 22% 10% 68%

The optimizations in bandwidth and power management states may result inoverall reduction of power consumption, as illustrated below for a fewcases in Table 4.

TABLE 4 w/ Media- Absolute savings Content Display Component Current HubSavings % (milliwatt) 1080p30 1080p60 SOC 332 230 DRAM 52 48 Total 384278 28% 106 4Kp60 1080p60 SOC 1183 751 DRAM 126 97 Total 1309 848 35%461

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a method for providing data to amedia accelerator from a local media hub cache. At block 602, a mediahub device may execute an operation related to a current frame of mediahaving a frame period. At block 604, the data associated with thecurrent frame period may be stored in a cache of the media hub device.At 606, the data is provided to a media accelerator of the media hubfrom the cache during execution.

For example, in a video playback use case, the operation executed at 602may include referencing frames in a memory unit, such as the memory unit106 of FIG. 1. Storing at block 604 may include stripe caching in theML2 cache 144, and providing data at 606 may include providing stripecaching data for decoding at the encoder/decoder 134. Further, theoperation 602 may include storing previously processed frames in thememory unit 106, while storing 604 may include stripe caching in the ML2cache 144, while providing data 606 from the ML2 cache 144 may includeproviding stripe caching data for video post processing to the video preand post processor 136. Further, image data may be streamed between thevideo pre and post processor 136 and the display engine 142.

As another example, in a video record use case the operation executed602 may include streaming between the ISP 132 and encoder/decoder 134.Reference frames may be stored in the memory unit 106, while storing atblock 604 may include stripe caching image data in the encoder/decoder134. Further, image data may be streamed between the ISP 132 and displayengine 142, as discussed above in regard to FIG. 5.

In some cases, the media accelerator is one of a plurality of mediaaccelerators of the media hub device, and further comprisingcommunicatively coupling at least two of the plurality of mediaaccelerators via the cache. Further, the at least two media hubaccelerators may be associated with input/output (I/O) communications ofthe media hub, and wherein the at least two media accelerators arecommunicatively coupled via a buffer of the cache. The media acceleratormay be one of a plurality of media accelerators of the media hub device.In this scenario, the method 600 may further include communicativelycoupling at least two of the plurality of media accelerators via achannel aside from the cache.

In some cases, the media hub device is a component of computing system.In this scenario, the method 600 may include entering one or more othercomponents of the computing system into an idle state during executionof the current frame by the media accelerator by an indication from themedia hub to a power management unit of the computing system.

The one or more other components of the computing system may include acentral processing unit, a graphical processing unit, a memory componentaccessible by the central processing unit or the graphical processingunit, or any combination thereof. In some cases, the method 600 mayinclude reducing bandwidth consumption by reducing access of the mediaaccelerator to a memory component of the computing system that wouldotherwise occur if the data was not present in the cache of the mediahub device. The method 600 may also include configuring a size of thecache based on a media-specific application.

In some cases, the cache is a level two cache. The computing system mayinclude a level one cache wherein at least a portion of the level onecache is integrated within the media accelerator. In this scenario,providing the data to the media accelerator from the cache duringexecution may include referencing the level two cache comprising aregion of the current frame, and referencing the level one cachecomprising a search window that is a subset of the region.

Example Section

The following example section is illustrative of various combinations ofthe techniques described herein. Any combination of the followingexamples is contemplated.

Example 1 is a media hub device. The wireless charging device mayinclude a media accelerator configured to execute an operation on acurrent frame of media having a frame period, and a cache of the mediahub device to provide, to the media accelerator, data associated withthe frame period of the current frame.

Example 2 includes the media hub device of example 1. The mediaaccelerator is one of a multitude of media accelerators of the media hubdevice, and wherein at least two of the multitude of media acceleratorsare communicatively coupled via the cache.

Example 3 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-2. The at least two media hub accelerators are associated withinput/output (I/O) communications of the media hub, and wherein the atleast two media accelerators are communicatively coupled via a buffer ofthe cache.

Example 4 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-3. The media accelerator is one of a multitude of media acceleratorsof the media hub device, and wherein at least two of the multitude ofmedia accelerators are communicatively coupled via a channel aside fromthe cache.

Example 5 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-4. The media hub device is a component of computing system, andwherein one or more other components of the computing system is enteredinto an idle state during execution of the current frame by the mediaaccelerator of the media hub by an indication from the media hub to apower management unit of the computing system.

Example 6 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-5. The media hub device is configured to reduce bandwidth consumptionassociated with access of the media accelerator to a memory component ofthe computing system that would otherwise occur if the data was notpresent in the cache of the media hub device.

Example 7 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-6. The media accelerator may include a component associated with mediaprocessing and is not integrated within components comprising: a centralprocessing unit, a graphical processing unit, or any combinationthereof.

Example 8 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-7. In this example a size of the cache is based on a media-specificapplication.

Example 9 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-8. The cache is a level two cache. This example includes a level onecache wherein at least a portion of the level one cache is integratedwithin the media accelerator.

Example 10 includes the media hub device of any combination of examples1-9. The level two cache may include a region of the current frame, andwherein the level one cache may include a search window that is a subsetof the region.

Example 11 is a method. The wireless charging device may includeexecuting, via a media hub device, an operation related to a currentframe of media having a frame period, storing data associated with thecurrent frame period in a cache of the media hub device, and providingthe data to a media accelerator of the media hub device from the cacheduring execution.

Example 12 includes the method of example 11. The media accelerator isone of a multitude of media accelerators of the media hub device, andfurther comprising communicatively coupling at least two of themultitude of media accelerators via the cache.

Example 13 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-12. Theat least two media hub accelerators are associated with input/output(I/O) communications of the media hub, and wherein the at least twomedia accelerators are communicatively coupled via a buffer of thecache.

Example 14 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-13. Themedia accelerator is one of a multitude of media accelerators of themedia hub device. This example includes communicatively coupling atleast two of the multitude of media accelerators via a channel asidefrom the cache.

Example 15 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-14. Themedia hub device is a component of computing system. This exampleincludes entering one or more other components of the computing systeminto an idle state during execution of the current frame by the mediaaccelerator by an indication from the media hub to a power managementunit of the computing system.

Example 16 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-15. Theone or more other components of the computing system may include acentral processing unit, a graphical processing unit, a memory componentaccessible by the central processing unit or the graphical processingunit, or any combination thereof.

Example 17 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-16.This example includes reducing bandwidth consumption by reducing accessof the media accelerator to a memory component of the computing systemthat would otherwise occur if the data was not present in the cache ofthe media hub device.

Example 18 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-17.This example includes configuring a size of the cache based on amedia-specific application.

Example 19 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-18. Thecache is a level two cache. This example includes a level one cachewherein at least a portion of the level one cache is integrated withinthe media accelerator.

Example 20 includes the method of any combination of examples 11-19. Inthis example providing the data to the media accelerator from the cacheduring execution may include referencing the level two cache comprisinga region of the current frame, and referencing the level one cachecomprising a search window that is a subset of the region.

Example 21 is a system. The wireless charging device may include a mediahub device to execute an operation on a current frame of media having aframe period, and a cache of the media means to provide, to a mediaaccelerator of the media means, data associated with the frame period ofthe current frame, and a memory component to provide data to the cachefor frame periods subsequent to the current frame.

Example 22 includes the system of example 21. The media accelerator isone of a multitude of media accelerators of the media hub device, andwherein at least two of the multitude of media accelerators arecommunicatively coupled via the cache.

Example 23 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-22. Inthis example at least two of the multitude media hub accelerators areassociated with input/output (I/O) communications of the media hubdevice, and wherein the at least two media accelerators arecommunicatively coupled via a buffer of the cache.

Example 24 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-23. Themedia accelerator is one of a multitude of media accelerators of themedia hub device, and wherein at least two of the multitude of mediaaccelerators are communicatively coupled via a channel aside from thecache.

Example 25 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-24. Themedia hub device is a component of computing system, and wherein one ormore other components of the computing system is entered into an idlestate during execution of the current frame by the media accelerator ofthe media hub by an indication from the media hub to a power managementunit of the computing system.

Example 26 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-25. Themedia hub is configured to reduce bandwidth consumption associated withaccess of the media accelerator to the memory component of the computingsystem that would otherwise occur if the data was not present in thecache of the media hub device.

Example 27 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-26. Themedia accelerator may include a component associated with mediaprocessing and is not integrated within components comprising: a centralprocessing unit, a graphical processing unit, or any combinationthereof.

Example 28 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-27. Inthis example a size of the cache is based on a media-specificapplication.

Example 29 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-28. Thecache is a level two cache. This example includes a level one cachewherein at least a portion of the level one cache is integrated withinthe media accelerator.

Example 30 includes the system of any combination of examples 21-29. Thelevel two cache may include a region of the current frame, and whereinthe level one cache may include a search window that is a subset of theregion.

Example 31 is a method. The wireless charging device may includeexecuting, via a media hub means, an operation related to a currentframe of media having a frame period, storing data associated with thecurrent frame period in a cache of the media hub means, and providingthe data to a media accelerator of the media hub means from the cacheduring execution.

Example 32 includes the method of example 31. The media accelerator isone of a multitude of media accelerators of the media hub means, andfurther comprising communicatively coupling at least two of themultitude of media accelerators via the cache.

Example 33 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-32. Theat least two media hub accelerators are associated with input/output(I/O) communications of the media hub, and wherein the at least twomedia accelerators are communicatively coupled via a buffer of thecache.

Example 34 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-33. Themedia accelerator is one of a multitude of media accelerators of themedia hub means. This example includes communicatively coupling at leasttwo of the multitude of media accelerators via a channel aside from thecache.

Example 35 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-34. Themedia hub means is a component of computing system. This exampleincludes entering one or more other components of the computing systeminto an idle state during execution of the current frame by the mediaaccelerator by an indication from the media hub to a power managementunit of the computing system.

Example 36 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-35. Theone or more other components of the computing system may include acentral processing unit, a graphical processing unit, a memory componentaccessible by the central processing unit or the graphical processingunit, or any combination thereof.

Example 37 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-36.This example includes reducing bandwidth consumption by reducing accessof the media accelerator to a memory component of the computing systemthat would otherwise occur if the data was not present in the cache ofthe media hub means.

Example 38 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-37.This example includes configuring a size of the cache based on amedia-specific application.

Example 39 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-38. Thecache is a level two cache. This example includes a level one cachewherein at least a portion of the level one cache is integrated withinthe media accelerator.

Example 40 includes the method of any combination of examples 31-39. Inthis example providing the data to the media accelerator from the cacheduring execution may include referencing the level two cache comprisinga region of the current frame, and referencing the level one cachecomprising a search window that is a subset of the region.

Example 41 is a system. The wireless charging device may include a mediahub means to execute an operation on a current frame of media having aframe period, and a cache of the media hub means to provide, to a mediaaccelerator of the media means, data associated with the frame period ofthe current frame, and a memory component to provide data to the cachefor frame periods subsequent to the current frame.

Example 42 includes the system of example 41. The media accelerator isone of a multitude of media accelerators of the media hub means, andwherein at least two of the multitude of media accelerators arecommunicatively coupled via the cache.

Example 43 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-42. Inthis example at least two of the multitude media hub accelerators areassociated with input/output (I/O) communications of the media hub, andwherein the at least two media accelerators are communicatively coupledvia a buffer of the cache.

Example 44 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-43. Themedia accelerator is one of a multitude of media accelerators of themedia hub means, and wherein at least two of the multitude of mediaaccelerators are communicatively coupled via a channel aside from thecache.

Example 45 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-44. Themedia hub means is a component of computing system, and wherein one ormore other components of the computing system is entered into an idlestate during execution of the current frame by the media accelerator ofthe media hub by an indication from the media hub to a power managementunit of the computing system.

Example 46 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-45. Themedia hub is configured to reduce bandwidth consumption associated withaccess of the media accelerator to the memory component of the computingsystem that would otherwise occur if the data was not present in thecache of the media hub means.

Example 47 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-46. Themedia accelerator may include a component associated with mediaprocessing and is not integrated within components comprising: a centralprocessing unit, a graphical processing unit, or any combinationthereof.

Example 48 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-47. Inthis example a size of the cache is based on a media-specificapplication.

Example 49 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-48. Thecache is a level two cache. This example includes a level one cachewherein at least a portion of the level one cache is integrated withinthe media accelerator.

Example 50 includes the system of any combination of examples 41-49. Thelevel two cache may include a region of the current frame, and whereinthe level one cache may include a search window that is a subset of theregion.

Examples may include subject matter such as a method, means forperforming acts of the method, at least one machine-readable mediumincluding instructions that, when performed by a machine cause themachine to performs acts of the method. It is to be understood thatspecifics in the aforementioned examples may be used anywhere in one ormore embodiments. For instance, all optional features of the computingdevice described above may also be implemented with respect to either ofthe methods described herein or a computer-readable medium. Furthermore,although flow diagrams and/or state diagrams may have been used hereinto describe embodiments, the present techniques are not limited to thosediagrams or to corresponding descriptions herein. For example, flow neednot move through each illustrated box or state or in exactly the sameorder as illustrated and described herein.

Although some embodiments have been described in reference to particularimplementations, other implementations are possible according to someembodiments. Additionally, the arrangement and order of circuit elementsor other features illustrated in the drawings or described herein neednot be arranged in the particular way illustrated and described. Manyother arrangements are possible according to some embodiments.

In each system shown in a figure, the elements in some cases may eachhave a same reference number or a different reference number to suggestthat the elements represented could be different or similar. However, anelement may be flexible enough to have different implementations andwork with some or all of the systems shown or described herein. Thevarious elements shown in the figures may be the same or different.Which one is referred to as a first element and which is called a secondelement is arbitrary.

In the description and claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected,”along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood thatthese terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, inparticular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two ormore elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with eachother. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in directphysical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean thattwo or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yetstill co-operate or interact with each other.

An embodiment is an implementation or example of the inventions.Reference in the specification to “an embodiment”, “one embodiment,”“some embodiments”, or “other embodiments” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but notnecessarily all embodiments, of the inventions. The various appearances“an embodiment,” “one embodiment,” or “some embodiments” are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiments.

Not all components, features, structures, characteristics, etc.described and illustrated herein need be included in a particularembodiment or embodiments. If the specification states a component,feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could”be included, for example, that particular component, feature, structure,or characteristic is not required to be included. If the specificationor claim refers to “a” or “an” element, that does not mean there is onlyone of the element. If the specification or claims refer to “anadditional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one ofthe additional element.

Although flow diagrams and state diagrams may have been used herein todescribe embodiments, the inventions are not limited to those diagramsor to corresponding descriptions herein. For example, flow need not movethrough each illustrated box or state or in exactly the same order asillustrated and described herein.

The inventions are not restricted to the particular details listedherein. Indeed, those skilled in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure will appreciate that many other variations from the foregoingdescription and drawings may be made within the scope of the presentinventions. Accordingly, it is the following claims including anyamendments thereto that define the scope of the inventions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A media hub device, comprising: a mediaaccelerator configured to execute an operation on a current frame ofmedia having a frame period; and a cache of the media hub device toprovide, to the media accelerator, data associated with the frame periodof the current frame.
 2. The media hub device of claim 1, wherein themedia accelerator is one of a plurality of media accelerators of themedia hub device, and wherein at least two of the plurality of mediaaccelerators are communicatively coupled via the cache.
 3. The media hubdevice of claim 2, wherein the at least two media hub accelerators areassociated with input/output (I/O) communications of the media hubdevice, and wherein the at least two media accelerators arecommunicatively coupled via a buffer of the cache.
 4. The media hubdevice of claim 1, wherein the media accelerator is one of a pluralityof media accelerators of the media hub device, and wherein at least twoof the plurality of media accelerators are communicatively coupled via achannel aside from the cache.
 5. The media hub device of claim 1,wherein the media hub device is a component of computing system, andwherein one or more other components of the computing system is enteredinto an idle state during execution of the current frame by the mediaaccelerator of the media hub by an indication from the media hub to apower management unit of the computing system.
 6. The media hub deviceof claim 5, wherein the media hub device is configured to reducebandwidth consumption associated with access of the media accelerator toa memory component of the computing system that would otherwise occur ifthe data was not present in the cache of the media hub device.
 7. Themedia hub device of claim 1, wherein the media accelerator comprises acomponent associated with media processing and is not integrated withincomponents comprising: a central processing unit; a graphical processingunit; or any combination thereof.
 8. The media hub device of claim 1,wherein a size of the cache is based on a media-specific application. 9.The media hub device of claim 1, wherein the cache is a level two cache,further comprising a level one cache wherein at least a portion of thelevel one cache is integrated within the media accelerator.
 10. Themedia hub device of claim 9, wherein the level two cache comprises aregion of the current frame, and wherein the level one cache comprises asearch window that is a subset of the region.
 11. A method, comprising:executing, via a media hub device, an operation related to a currentframe of media having a frame period; storing data associated with thecurrent frame period in a cache of the media hub device; and providingthe data to a media accelerator of the media hub device from the cacheduring execution.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mediaaccelerator is one of a plurality of media accelerators of the media hubdevice, further comprising communicatively coupling at least two of theplurality of media accelerators via the cache.
 13. The method of claim12, wherein the at least two media hub accelerators are associated withinput/output (I/O) communications of the media hub device, and whereinthe at least two media accelerators are communicatively coupled via abuffer of the cache.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the mediaaccelerator is one of a plurality of media accelerators of the media hubdevice, further comprising communicatively coupling at least two of theplurality of media accelerators via a channel aside from the cache. 15.The method of claim 11, wherein the media hub device is a component ofcomputing system, further comprising entering one or more othercomponents of the computing system into an idle state during executionof the current frame by the media accelerator by an indication from themedia hub device to a power management unit of the computing system. 16.The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more other components of thecomputing system comprise: a central processing unit; a graphicalprocessing unit; a memory component accessible by the central processingunit or the graphical processing unit; or any combination thereof. 17.The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing bandwidthconsumption by reducing access of the media accelerator to the memorycomponent of the computing system that would otherwise occur if the datawas not present in the cache of the media hub device.
 18. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising configuring a size of the cache based on amedia-specific application.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein thecache is a level two cache, further comprising a level one cache whereinat least a portion of the level one cache is integrated within the mediaaccelerator.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the data tothe media accelerator from the cache during execution comprises:referencing the level two cache comprising a region of the currentframe, and referencing the level one cache comprising a search windowthat is a subset of the region.
 21. A system, comprising: a media hubdevice configured to execute an operation on a current frame of mediahaving a frame period; and a cache of the media hub device to provide,to a media accelerator of the media hub device, data associated with theframe period of the current frame; and a memory component to providedata to the cache for frame periods subsequent to the current frame. 22.The system of claim 21, wherein the media accelerator is one of aplurality of media accelerators of the media hub device, and wherein atleast two of the plurality media hub accelerators are associated withinput/output (I/O) communications of the media hub device, and whereinthe at least two media accelerators are communicatively coupled via abuffer of the cache.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is acomputing system, further comprising one or more other components, andwherein one or more of the components is entered into an idle stateduring execution of the current frame by the media accelerator of themedia hub device.
 24. The system of claim 21 wherein the media hub isconfigured to reduce access of the media accelerator to the memorycomponent that would otherwise occur if the data was not present in thecache of the media hub device.
 25. The system of claim 21, wherein thecache is a level two cache, further comprising a level one cache whereinat least a portion of the level one cache is integrated within the mediaaccelerator, wherein the level two cache comprises a region of thecurrent frame, and wherein the level one cache comprises a search windowthat is a subset of the region.